updated 07:30 am EST, Fri February 4, 2011

Best Buy store gives out Thunderbolt, Xoom timing

A Best Buy store in Michigan overnight posted details that might have given away Verizon's device launch strategy. The HTC Thunderbolt's widely reported February 14 date was supported but also suggested that the Motorola Xoom had been pushed back from the rumored February 17 date, instead shipping one week later on February 24. Motorola had hinted late February but had never given a concrete date.

While unconfirmed, the schedule gained credibility by naming Samsung's anonymous 4G hotspot. The pocket LTE router should be called the Presto and, if accurate, would ship on February 17. It should be an alternative to a MiFi and share a connection with as many as five devices over Wi-Fi.

None of the hardware was given prices, but the Thunderbolt could cost as much as $250 on a two-year plan. The Xoom may be cheaper than first thought and could cost $700 without a contract. Samsung's Presto isn't certain, but routers usually cost significantly less than phones, even when off-contract.